Published November 28, 2022 6:35PM
Parents conflict to find over-the-counter medications for their children
The summation successful cases of children with colds, flu, RSV and different respiratory illnesses is affecting the proviso of over-the-counter medications. Parents picture however hard immoderate items are to find astatine cause stores.
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - An overwhelming request for children’s fever-reducing medicines similar Tylenol and Motrin this play has near store shelves bare and created vexation among parents.
Several pharmacies successful the Bay Area and crossed the authorities said they are expecting constricted shipments this week arsenic an expanding fig of children are sick battling the flu, RSV oregon COVID.
"I went to 2 CVS pharmacies, past yet recovered immoderate astatine Safeway," parent Jessenia Vargas whose lad was sick said. "It was a situation truthful we benignant of resorted to cough drops for kids versus medicine."
San Diego pharmacist and erstwhile California Pharmacists Association President Ken Thai said the wintertime microorganism play is particularly atrocious this year, creating a shortfall successful medications.
"I’d accidental successful the past 2 and a fractional to 3 weeks, it has been out," helium said. " Every wholesaler we tin deliberation of to get inventory has been saying determination are nary allocations, there’s thing available."
Thai said his pharmacy is fortunate to get 2 bottles oregon boxes of children’s medicine a day.
The FDA is not reporting shortages of ibuprofen oregon acetaminophen – the progressive ingredients successful those medicines.
Manufacturer Johnson and Johnson, which makes children’s Tylenol released a connection that said successful part, "We are experiencing precocious user request and are doing everything we tin to marque definite radical person entree to the products they need…We volition proceed to enactment with our retailers to supply Children’s TYLENOL® passim the Cold & Flu Season."
Doctors accidental immoderate parents are stocking up connected the medicines disquieted supplies whitethorn tally out.
SEE ALSO: UCSF creates overflow accommodations for RSV, different respiratory corruption cases
"I bash deliberation this twelvemonth is different," Dr. Ted O’Connell with Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center said. "We’re dealing with this alleged tri-demic of COVID positive RSV, positive flu.
O’Connell says helium is alert over-the-counter medications being successful abbreviated supply, but says symptoms for the viruses tin beryllium typically treated with an alternate oregon by modifying different versions of medication.
"There’s the anticipation of talking with the pharmacist astir doing the big mentation of those medications and perchance being capable to grind that up and enactment it into a liquid oregon thing similar applesauce," helium said.
For children dealing with symptoms different than fever, the doc suggested much earthy remedies.
SEE ALSO: CDC representation shows wherever flu cases person spiked successful the U.S.
Steam from a ablution oregon a humidifier tin assistance with congestion. Honey tin soothe a sore throat. And a lukewarm bath tin easiness musculus aches.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association told KTVU that portion determination whitethorn beryllium constricted out-of-stocks, the proviso concatenation for over-the-counter products remains strong. The radical is moving with its members to nonstop merchandise to areas successful need.
"We’re doing our champion to find solutions for our parents," Thai said. "It’s not casual astatine each to look a genitor successful the look and accidental you truly request this but we don’t person it."
Brooks Jarosz is an investigative newsman for KTVU. Email him at brooks.jarosz@fox.com and travel him on Facebook and Twitter @BrooksKTVU
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